The idea of adjusting
by Cassiopeia's
Summary: My take on 6x10, right after Hannah's and Brennan's girls night out.


**After I watched 6x10 last week, the last scene with Hannah and Brennan having a girls night out stayed in my mind and this idea kinda plopped into my head and I couldn't get it out of out. So here's my take on that episode.**

**Read, enjoy and click the green button ;D**

**xx**

**Michi**

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* * *

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**The idea of adjusting**

"Well yeah, it was really creepy," Hannah says laughingly. "I mean, seriously, what the hell was he thinking?"

Even if he loves Hannah, it kind of stung to hear Brennan accepting the advances of another guy. And he was relieved when the blonde told him how they got rid of him.

"And then she told me that she was kinda seeing that guy."

_Boom._

For a second his world stops. Brennan is seeing another guy? Right, he doesn't love her anymore and he is just concerned about her being played or something. They are partners, why the hell hasn't she told him?

"Seeley? You're alright?" Hannah eyes him worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lies not exactly. Well, he should be fine, right? He inhales deeply. "Um…you don't know his name, do you?"

Hannah laughs and shakes her head. "No. Temperance told me you'd ask me that and so she decided to just tell me his first name in case you would pump me for information."

Grumpy, he clenches his fist. Why the hell is he reacting like that? If Brennan is seeing someone else it means she is adjusting and that is great, right? Then why the heck is this feeling so wrong?

He is taken out of thoughts when Hannah's hand touches his. "You were sure when you told all your feelings for her passed, right? You're not upset about her seeing someone else, are you?"

"No, of course not," he says quickly, "I'm over her, I meant that. It's just…usually we talk about stuff like that. You know our relationship kinda changed." He really hasn't meant to tell her that, but he knows she needs to know that. Since she's is girlfriend and all.

"Yeah well, of course it has changed. You aren't in love with her anymore and she knows that, logically you aren't that close anymore. And I guess after your talk she probably didn't want you to know. You should give her some time."

Right, really not what he wants to her at all.

"Yeah, maybe," he dismisses quickly, "you know what Parker told me today? He's a crush on a girl!"

He thinks back to the evening when he has stayed with the boy while Hannah was out with her partner.

"She's the most beautiful girl ever, Daddy. And her eyes are even bluer than Bones'," he has said and Booth has seen the adoration Parker had for that girl.

"Well that's cute, right?", Hannah smiles and lies her had against his shoulder. "Maybe you should teach him a few tricks."

* * *

Even if it has nearly killed him inside, Booth hasn't asked her about her new boyfriend. But he has noticed her changed behavior. She leaves the Jeffersonian on acceptable times and she seems happier.

And he feels happy for her even if it stings that it's not him anymore who causes her smiles. But he knows nothing will ever be like it was before that night in front of the Hoover. He knows that he ruined everything that night.  
They aren't the center anymore and just that thought hurts. So he wants to change that and decides to pick up some take out and run over her apartment.

When he enters the diner, he immediately recognizes the voice he hears, not just because it's louder than anything else.

Parker.

He turns around to see his boy sitting next to a _very _blonde girl, in front of a man of his age and… his breath hitched, _Bones_.

"Daddy!", Parker calls, suddenly noticing him and waves him to come and join them.

He slowly walks over to them.

"Hi," he says, suddenly feeling a little shy.

"Hey Booth," Brennan smiles at him and gestures for Parker and the girl to scoot over so he can sit down next to them.

"That's Sam and her father Daniel Stevens." She and the guy exchange a smile. "That's Seeley Booth, my partner and Parker's dad."

Daniel and Booth shake hands and Booth's heart suddenly drops. This Daniel couldn't be…

"Hi, Tempe's told me a lot about you," he smiles.

"Yeah well, I can't-"

"I'm Sam, Parker's friend," the girl cuts him off and grins brightly at him.

Parker nods and wraps his arm around her shoulder. "Yup, we met at science club at the Jeffersonian and it turned out that her dad his friend with Dr. Bones. Isn't the world really small, Daddy?", Parker tells him excitedly and Booth's gulps.

He really doesn't like this at all.

"Does your mother know about this?", he asks, just to say something and lose that lump in his throat.

The boy nods happily. "Yup. I told her I'd have dinner with Dr. Bones, Sam and her father after science club and she was okay with it. Mr. Stevens promised to take me home afterwards." The boy smiled brightly at the guy.

"So, Booth, where's Hannah?", Brennan asks, while taking a sip of her coffee.

He's definitely not going to tell her that he was actually going to get some take out for her and himself and that his girlfriend was home thinking he has to work late.

"Uh…I was getting some take out for her and me. You know, she's kinda busy right now. I…uh, should probably order something."

* * *

"Dad, did you know that over 7.6 million people die of cancer, especially Leukemia every year?"

Booth looks at him strangely. He feels terrible, those last few weeks. He only gets to see his partner when it's work-related and it's making him miserable. He misses her, misses _them _so much. He knows he's being distant towards Hannah and that she really doesn't deserve this, but he can't help it.

He misses her so much and he has to admit, being over someone definitely feels different.

Seeing Parker so happy it reminds him of that day in the diner and suddenly he has the urge to shoot _Daniel Stevens_. He plans to make a background check as soon as he's back at the Hoover.

"Uh, no, I didn't know, Parker. Why do you?", he asks warily.

"Because I needed as much information as I could get about that."

"Why?" Now he's curious and it takes his mind off his mess with his partner for a moment.

"Because then it's easier to help Sam."

Now he is confused.

Parker sighs. "Well, her mom died of Leukemia four month ago."

Booth's stomach sinks instantly and he really doesn't want to do that check on Daniel Stevens anymore.

* * *

"You should tell her, Seeley," Hannah says in the evening. "You should tell her before it's too late."

Confused, Booth looks at her. "Tell who what?"

"Temperance. Tell her that you're miserable because of her new man and that you miss everything and that you're sorry." She is quiet for a few seconds. "And then you should tell her that you're still in love with her."

"Hannah…" He doesn't know what to say because deep down he knows she is right. He _is _sorry for the whole mess he made and that doesn't just involve his relationship with Brennan but with Hannah as well.

"You won't make it better, no matter what you say. I'm hurt of course, Seeley, but I can't see you like this. I can't, it hurts even more. I need you to be happy and you aren't as long as you're not the reason for her happiness."

"It's just…," he trails off, not quite knowing what to say, how his life got so chaotic.

"Fix it, Seeley. Just fix it and don't wait any longer, it might be too late."

* * *

He just lets himself into her apartment, even if it means he could interrupt her having sex with _Daniel Stevens_ or something.

It doesn't matter.

She instantly appears in the hall, upon having heard the door, and looks at him surprised. "Booth," she says and in her voice is not even a hint of anger and frustration. She actually sounds pleasingly surprised and that gives him hope. If she's still happy to see him, this whole thing is maybe not as messed up as he thought.

"I can't do this anymore, Bones," he says immediately. "I can't pretend that I'm happy with her anymore. You said you couldn't give me what I wanted, couldn't make me happy, but that's exactly what you do every freaking day. I just…I want to be with you, alright? Every second of the day, every moment of the night. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Just with you. Nobody else. And no matter how much I want to pretend that I'm over you, I'm not okay?" He's breathing heavily and takes in her surprised face.

And then his body suddenly jerks forward, backing her up against the wall, and he kisses her passionately. Moaning, he enters her mouth, stroking her tongue gently with his, biting her lips carefully until neither of them can't breathe anymore.

"Booth," she pants between his kisses, "we need to stop this."

"Why?" He dislocates his lips to her neck, sucking on her soft skin. "We wasted enough time."

"Because," she answers, breathing heavily, "this is getting out of hand. This whole mess between us. We need to make things painfully clear first."

He is not too excited, so he doesn't stop kissing her, sliding his hand under her shirt. He has wanted this for so long he can't even remember. Feeling her skin against his, touching and kissing her, _making love_ to her is the reason for his existence.

"Please, Booth." Her pleading tone makes him groan. He can't deny her anything, so he pulls away reluctantly.

"Thank you," she breathes, fixing her clothes. Shyly, she smiles at him and takes his hand carefully. "We need to talk, Booth. Honestly."

He nods because he knows she's right. If they want to make this work, they have to talk first. About what happened, what they want to happen, how they feel and how things are going to work out.

They walk over to her couch, sitting down next to each other, but turn to face each other. Booth takes a deep breath. Usually he isn't that kind of guy who cheats. Not on his own girlfriend and neither on his desired woman's boyfriend. But he's kissed her nevertheless, so he needs to say this.

"Bones," he starts, taking her hands in his and squeezing them gently, "if you still love me or if there're still feelings for me beyond friendship or the slightest chance of ever going to make things work between us…I want you to…break up with Daniel."

At first he's too afraid to meet her gaze, but when he does all he can see his astonishment.

"Break up with Daniel?" Her voice sounds surprised. "Booth, you do realize that he's not my boyfriend, right?"

Instantly, he rock heaves off his chest, the same second as her face darkens. She jerks her hands out of his.

"Is this what this is about? Your male ego is bruised because I obviously have moved on so fast? You coming here and telling me all this…because you don't want me to-," she almost shouts, but he cuts her off.

"No, Bones! God, no!" He jerks forward, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her slightly. "That's not what you think, okay? I'm doing this because I love you, because I'm _in love with you_ and because I was an idiot to think that had changed."

She stares at him agape. "But…I…you-"

"Remember the day in the diner with him and Parker and Sam?" He cuts her off. "I told you I was about buying some take out. I wasn't, alright? I was actually bringing some take out to your apartment, pretending I saw your lights from the street, even if it was just late afternoon. I had missed you so much and I couldn't go through another day without spending time with you. And that's when I saw you and them and my heart broke for the second time in a year, Bones."

Wide blues eyes are staring at him, watering slightly. "I'm sorry. It was never my intention to hurt you more, Booth. That night in the car you basically said that I had to adjust, exactly like you did and I really tried. And in order to do that I stayed away from you. Had I known I'd hurt you with my actions I'd never have done that, even if it would have caused me more pain. I just want you to be happy, Booth. With or without me."

Her baby blues eyes in comparison with her vulnerable words are his undoing. He tugs her on his lap, pressing her into his chest. "Oh Bones," he sighs, trying to hold back his own tears and presses a feathery kiss to her hair.

She sobs softly, inhaling his scent. "I missed you so much, Booth," she admits and he can't help but give her a chaste kiss.

"What about Daniel? How did he happen?" After a while of silence he can't hold back that question any longer. Even if he is relieved that the guy is not her boyfriend, he needs to know of which nature their relationship is.

"I've been teaching those kids in the science club every Wednesday for three months now, you know, Parker's group, the one my dad taught once. Sam was different than the other kids, really different. She was quieter and just concentrating really hard on those experiments. She was taking this all too serious for a normal kid of her age. So I asked her what was wrong, but she didn't want to tell me. I thought of you, how you have the ability of making people trust you and talk to you and I figured Parker might have inherited this gift. So I partnered them and miraculously they worked.

Sam started to open up a little more and smiled more often and seemed happier, you know? So one day her dad picked her up after science club again and she took her time to clean her utensils, so he and I talked. He asked me what I had done to his daughter since she had changed so much over the last weeks because she hadn't been happy in over four months.  
In order to thank me he invited me to dinner and during that evening he told me why Sam had been so closed up.  
His wife died four month ago and it has crushed them both. I don't know why, but I suddenly felt like he could understand me because of this. We both have lost people in our lives which we loved to death.  
We became friends and we talked a lot about those things. You know, love and loss, children, heartbreak and stuff like that.

Daniel is a really sensitive guy and he helped me a lot since I was so heartbroken because of this big mess between you and me.  
But it was never about attraction or love between us. He still loves his wife very much and I still love you. Because of the friendship between us I can finally fully understand our relationship, Booth."

He swallows hard, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat.

"Our relationship was never about friendship, Booth. You were right when you said you knew from the beginning. From the beginning on our relationship was different, because even we were just partners, there was this rather big physical attraction between us and those feelings. Even if we never really acted on them, they were always there.

I didn't realize that because you were the first real "platonic" relationship I ever had with a man, so I just noticed it when this friendship between me and Dan started. I noticed then that this was a real friendship and that this thing between us, has always been more than that. That it has always been love."

They are silent for minutes, they are both exhausted and neither one expects the other to say anything. They are content with just leaning against each other, feeling the presence of the other and finally giving into those feelings.

Booth tightens his grip on her, trying to pull her right into himself. She squeezes him back.

"Booth?" Her voice is silent, but not shy or hesitant. She sounds tired, but content.

"Yeah?"

"If we're really going to make this work, I'll still be friends with Daniel. Because as much as I needed him over the last weeks, he needs me as well. He's still hurting very much because of his wife's death and Sam really likes Parker and I think he's a crush on her.  
It's just…I love you, okay? And just because I'm really close with Dan doesn't mean that will change, okay?"

He takes her face in his hands and makes her look into his eyes. "I know, Bones, and that's okay. It's okay for you to be friends with him and I'm very thankful for him taking care of you while I was being an idiot. One day I'll thank him for that."

Chocolate brown stares into cerulean blue, gazes melting and they lean forward and meet halfway, like they always have.

"I love you," they say in unison and the center is back.

* * *

"Morning, Parks," Booths greats his son as he enters his bedroom.

Bones is awake, more or less, and snuggles deeper into his side. He gently strokes her shoulders through her sleeping shirt.

It's his weekend with Parker again and since he and Brennan are dating since two months now, she has spent the last two of those weekends with them.

"Morning," the boy greets back, "Daddy? Can we talk please?"

Booth is on alert instantly, and Brennan seems to sense some father-son-time as well.

"I go making breakfast," she says quickly. "Any wishes?"

"Pancakes," both Booth men answer immediately and she laughs, pressing a quick kiss to her boyfriend's lips and his son's cheek before she leaves the bedroom.

They are silent for a second before Booth looks at his son. "So what do you want to talk about?"

Parker takes a deep breath. "How do I kiss a girl and how do I know when's the right time?"

Booth instantly wants to jump up and drag Brennan back into the room. That's a topic he really doesn't want to talk about and he has hoped he could delay that subject for…at least 10 years or something.

Damn it.

Wincing, he gives in. "I suppose this is about Sam," he says carefully and Parker confirms his suspicion with a tight nod.

How the hell is he supposed to explain _that _to the boy? It's not like he is an expert on relationships since it took him six years and several lapses to finally get his own love life on track.

"You're good friends with her, right?"

"Yeah."

"So aren't you afraid she might not like you back or something?", he asks the boy carefully.

Parker shakes his head. "No, I know she likes be back. Sometimes we're holding hands or kiss each other's cheeks. She doesn't do that with any other of a boy friends and I don't do that with any other girl."

Booth swallows. _Aren't Parker and Sam a bit young for that? They are only ten and…_

He shakes his head slightly, trying to concentrate on the talk.

"Yeah well, isn't that enough, Parks?"

The boy glances down on his hands. "It was at first. But then…you know, when you and Bones kiss you always look so happy afterwards, like _really, really_ happy and last week when I was with you and saw you two kissing I wondered what it feels like. And everytime I'm trying to find an answer for that, I think about Sam and how I want to find out with her." He sighs depressed and Booth feels bad for him.

He realizes that Parker's feelings are obviously a lot deeper than he gave him credit for.

"There isn't a specific moment for a first kiss, Parks. Believe me, I can't even count those moments Bones and I had while we were just partners and looking back I can really say there isn't a special moment. All you have to do his gather all your courage and just do it.

And about the how…it's a natural thing, Parker. The moment your lips meet, they do their own thing. You can't even think anymore so don't even worry about doing something wrong. That can't happen, trust me." He smiles encouragingly at the boy.

He nods. "Thanks, Dad." Leaning forward he hugs him tightly and Booth crushes him into his chest.

"I'm glad you feel like you can talk to me about that, buddy."

"I'm glad I can."

* * *

"Hey Booth," Brennan says chuckling and hands him her cell phone.

"What?" He looks at her quizzically, silently enjoying the little break from paperwork.

"There's a really worried man on my phone, freaking out because he caught his daughter making out with your son. You might want to talk to him."

"_What_?"


End file.
